Over the last several decades, numerous regions around the world, including regions with many cities and transit agencies, have successfully integrated their fare systems to create a fair, simple system of pricing that encourages transit use and has led to increasing ridership over time.

Despite the fact that transit users have consistently asked for a simpler regional fare system, Bay Area transit general managers at the June Clipper Executive Board meeting declined to advance even a study, or Business Case, of fare integration, citing the possibility that it could lead to increased costs for transit agencies, and questioning whether the Metropolitan Transportation Commission should even be leading such an initiative.

This event demonstrates how it’s now more important than ever for us to tell our transit agency leadership that we expect more from them. Concerns that fare integration would prove to have costs shouldn’t be a reason not to do a study - it should be a reason to do a study and assess the costs as well as the benefits.

We must stop the cycle of transit agencies dragging their feet on regional initiatives that will make transit easier to use and more affordable.

To encourage transit agency boards to make Fare Integration a priority, you can take the following steps (starting with the easiest):

1. Sign our petition showing your support for a seamlessly integrated regional transit system. We’ll keep you posted on future opportunities to stand up for integrated fares, schedules, and wayfinding.

You may write multiple letters; for example, if you live in San Francisco, you can write the BART Board, the SFMTA Board, and the Caltrain Board. It’s great if you can customize the letter with your personal experience that motivates you to want change.

3. Come to one of the following board meetings in July or August and tell board members you want to see the study move forward: